Take-up device for slack adjusters



March 2, 1954 DOREY 2,670,974-

TAKE-UP DEVICE FOR SLACK ADJUSTERS Filed July 11, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 2, 1954 e. B. DOREY TAKE-UP DEVICE FOR SI-ACK ADJUSTERS 3 Shee'cs$heet 2 Filed July 11, 1952 March 2, 1954 G. B. DOREY TAKE-UP DEVICE FOR SLACK ADJUSTERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 11, 1952 II!!!) I Patented Mar. 2, 1954 TAKE-UP DEVICE FOR SLACK ADJUSTERS George B.- Dorey, Westmount, Quebec, Canada, assignorto Continental Transport Appliances, Limited, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, a corporation of Canada Application July ll, 1952, Serial No. 298,342

3 Claims. 1

The invention relates to an improved take-up device for a slack adjuster embodying screwthreaded rods and complementary threaded nuts carried by a housing structure which serves to adjustably unite the respective rods.

Objects of the invention among others are to provide a screw take-up device having screwthreaded sections completely enclosed and fully protected against rust and corrosion; to provide a structure having a housing enclosing the screw parts of a slack take-up device and sealed to retain a lubricant; to provide a structure wherein the screwthreaded part of an adjustable rod is relieved of weight and auxiliary supporting means are provided on a screwthreaded rod for supporting a housing structure; and to provide a take-up device having an improved tubular cylindrical housing for accommodating the screwthreaded ends of a divided threaded connection and to provide shouldered nuts for said rods for transmitting pulling strains through the rods and housing; and more specifically to provide a telescoping structure wherein screwthreaded nuts are retained in openings formed in the walls of an outer casing and certain features of the invention reside in the details concerned with the making up of the assembly.

For further comprehension of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying draw.- ings wherein: v

- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a car structure showing the improved take-up device incorporated as part of an automatically operable slack adjuster in the brake leverage system of a railway car.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the take-up device on a line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fractional plan view on an enlarged scale of the take-up device showing as much of the device as necessary to illustrate the improvement.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on a line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detached elevational side view of the cylindrical tubular housing.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the housing shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through the housing on a line 1-4 of Fig; .5.

Fig. 8 is a broken vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the take-up device showing'the take-up device with the extent of take-up at difierent distances from the nuts.

Fig. 9 is an elevational frontal view of one of the nuts. I I

Fig. 10 is a plan viewof the nut shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a side ,elevational view of the nut shown in Fig. '9.

Fig. 12 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of one of the cap-members.

Fig. 13"is a side longitudinal elevational view of thecap-member-shown in-Fig:l2.

Fig. 14 is an end view of the cap member shown in Figs. 12 and 13 as viewed from right to left of said figures.

Fig. 15 is an end view on an enlarged scale of the take-up device.

Fig. 16 is a vertical sectional view through one end of the take-up device as seen on a line lG-I 8 of Fig. 15.

In said drawings the improvement is shown as applied to the brake system of a railway car structure wherein IIO indicates the center sills having a brake cylinder III carried thereby which in turn operates a push rod I I2. Pivotally connected at one end of the push rod is a brake lever H3 and the opposite end of said lever is connected with a top rod I It whereby connection is effected with the brake of one of the trucks (not shown).

The lever II3 intermediate its ends is interconnected with another lever to the companion truck (not shown) by means of a center rod connection H5 which incorporates therein the improved take-up device I It with which the present improvement is concerned.

The center connection is divided lengthwise into two separate sections H1 and IIB and the end of each respective section is screwthreaded to present right and left hand screwthreaded ends indicated at H9 and I26 respectively. Cooperating with the screwthreaded portions H9 and I20 are complementary screwthreaded nuts I2I and 122 respectively.

The screwthreaded sections of the rods are extended within a cylindrical tubular housing I23 which includes transversely aligned elongated openings I24 in the wall of the said housing.

The nuts I2I and I22 are of similar construction differing only in the direction of rotation of the screwthread and the description therefore will be confined to one of said nuts. The nut is formed with a body portion I25 which is interiorly threaded at I26 to receive the complementary threaded rod. Extending laterally from each side of the body portion I25 and lying in.

transversely aligned relation on a common axis I21 are trunnions I28. The trunnions I28 are of circular section and extend within the aligned openings I24 to lie in correspondingly shaped seats I29 at the outer end of the said openings I24 for the purpose of transmitting pulling strains from the rod sections to the housing through the medium of said nuts.

The arcuate shaped seats I29 provided at the connection between the trunnions and the housing allow for limited pivotal movement about the axis I21 of the trunnions thereby providing for self adjustment between the rods and housing. The side face of the body of the nut on each side of the trunnion portions is contoured to present a generally spherical shaped surface I3i1 to allow for turning movement of the nut in the housing about axis I21 during insertion inasr much as the nut is turned from its normal trans; versely disposed position and insertedthr'o'ugh' the elongated openings while lying in a lengthwise position and thereafter swung hack to its normalwcrosswise position, it being understood that the body of the nut corresponds generally tion in the end bearings In of openings 1-26 by means of cap plates I'M- which overlie-the said openings and include a base portion I32 which overlaps the boundaries ofetheaopenings. and is secured in place on the housing; by cap screws I33. The cap plate includes a depressed t q h Q ll W thi he ing A and acts as-a centering spigot to'fix the cap plate in p a n h ni g. an ad acent h thu mon in there is provided a raised portionfojrming a circular shaped pocket i 3 whichembra ces the said trunnion section 128. The nut is-thus maintained in definite axial relation in the housbeing prevented from axial movement in one i t p y h a fi an h h qs t ir tion by th hot st the; nuts. in d 22; ithqu n m t n d. n definite r atio t9: he. hous n and. mounted to revolve in unison therewith'still retainasuflicient' degree of independent movement s oi'he s lf. i hi Q cpmh ns or variat titi e'ttem weal. d r g ariti s in manufacturei d r 9 eli e. he tr w l adsl rqm i trata' d tev htih m w n. h we land nuts here r prov d. ub-like bearhuge I SE and 'i 31' secured to' each rod as. indicated atflS-fl and- I331 res ectively. The bearings E36; and 131 are disposed on, opposite sides of the nut and re. erab y lo ate t the p s te ends ofjthe screwthreaded portion oi the rod thereby h fq tline bear n s, or th h u ng- With a divided center rod structure. such as ho n he e n. nd h u earmet. 1 at ach. he. stat n ther s I OX- fi a stahlesupp ort for revoluhly' supporting the house ing and the nuts then function as floating mem-. bers. r e ac qmmqd tts t-h 1 ittubri an s, ithin h ke uhl e j i e ho ing-fi ach end oi the tubing is closed bya cap l iil which. an ed a I 4 v to. embr e he hdh the. tu ehd ntr ed .b w h'said Qa ahd he tha ate. M he'tuhingisa p a e Was 1.4K hack n i h at e b n hdwithedhetween hrwathet .8 an th hsil hne a e fifi 'qt he 151. 1 heap 1 D hq h r .I 9. unt n the e a in a m.

for intermittent engagement with, the. teeth 01 h at wheel e. add he he .-5 seated on the housing betweenspaced. w all s;.i.5 Lel' I51 and is. thereby maintained .against axiahdisplacement.

O era ion of e. e l r k e t hake-ant direction, is effected by a spring. l52which reacts a s 'abrac t B d id. pr ng signed during the brake applying movementiof,

he. brake" thr u he; med um. o tnmn ratineQ iii-a elt.

4 rod W3 havigig a lateral a m lgilgiying in the path of movement of the 'push'rod and moved by the latter. The method of operation does not form part of. the. invention forming the subject of the present application and any suitable operatingmeansmay ice-employed for efiecting operationef the slack adjuster.

hat: c m new 1. In a, take-up mechanism for a slack adjuster mcmdinga connection divided lengthwise to present; two rod sections and having the adjacent ends of the respective rod sections screwie d o. r s n right. and et hand h ad d o o aty h l al u u n ehehet enclosing. he strew hread d prt ohstthe spective rod sectiona said tubular. member have me elongated pen n so m d in. he wellsthereof and disposed in transversely alignedrelation; a screwth'readed nut. threaded on each rod section, each said, nut having laterally. tending trunnion. portionsextending within, the elongated op n n s Dimeu ular ember 2. In e-upmecha i sm r as a =ka i.- t.=- er including a connection dividedlengthwise to? present two'l rodsections; and having; the, adiae cent nd i. e ect ve e tiqnsstrew htta k ed o presen gh j dleft a d trewthr aded.

portions; a cylindricaltuhular,mem r 6 1 .1

ing the screwthreaded portions of therespective rod sections. a uhu a mm er havmat ansn verseiy a ig ed lensate o ins iormeaiahe Wall thereof} a screivtlneadeQnut.having lately. ally extendingtrunnion; portions; extending; With-.1 i t e 1 i ?,-i l lii S;-.@QdfiiWilgfi I?Shit? a i st o e' hd-qt heopemh s; e rans it nullr ing strains between the respective rod sections, through the mediuinpt; the honsing anda cap, member e y ieach o n ng and ecuredethe housing, each said-,member having an ,ahut-. ment engaging- .withf; related. trunnion z, to maintain the. latter i i.-Seating enshgement with the pulling face of the opening andpreventaxial displacement. oi}, the ,Dutrelatiyely. to the. housing.

-a keeupmechani m. er aqk adiust-t er l nea cnhet im div ded. length s o. p s h twoi od eet phs. mha ns; theadiaceat. ends of the respective sectionsscrewthreaded;to e r htnd e .-.strtw hreade nqrt hn hub-like be tin s. adiah ntthe. nds. Qt; he a ed o ticnlsoi t9h fQ lL$Q QI. a, al drical. tubular houging memher enclosing the e ded p iohskot hem asaid. ubula meme ber being revolubly and supportingl associated; with. thehub-hke hearings; and; screwth-readed nuts disposed intenmedi e' sa idmearingsand threaded onhe.s rewtd. httivhs0 the d-h ctions, said nuts having projections co-acting with; the lls of; he. hat-1 m a rotate. niso therewith.

DDREX 1;.

References Cited in the file of this patent;

UNITED. PATENTS 610,203 Germ mf. 55; 

